Green shoots in wreckage

Even with deepening ecological collapse, from vanishing species to fractured habitats, signs of hope emerge

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THE INTERNATIONAL Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN'S) World Conservation Congress, held once every four years, is the flagship global congregation to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action. It is also an occasion that assesses the state of the ecosystem. Key takeaways from the meet held on October 9-15 in Abu Dhabi:

ECOSYSTEM: Humans' footprints on the natural ecosystem are getting savaging, with most of them scarring the planet in irreversible ways. Nearly a third of the Earth's land surface has already been profoundly transformed by human activity, according to the report, "Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Ecological Connectivity and Land Restoration", launched by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) on October 11.

LOSS OF NATURAL HABITATS: More than 60 per cent of the world's rivers have been diverted or dammed, says the UNCCD-CMS report. Globally, the road network is projected to expand by 60 per cent by 2050, putting even more pressure on ecosystems. The natural habitat system has been irreversibly fragmented. Land degradation affects up to 40 per cent of the planet, putting nearly half of humanity at risk.